A One Way Trip, a Very Hard Fall
by allthenicenamesaregone
Summary: Annabeth is the one holding onto the ledge, and Percy is the one clinging on to her. A reversed character story. Some quotes taken from MoA and changed.
1. Annabeth's POV

Annabeth gripped Percy fiercely, determined not to let him fall. She was probably hurting him, but better that than a trip to Tartarus. She wracked her brains for any possible way that she could pull herself and Percy back up. She thought of only the impossible things, like somehow managing to build a rope or discovering some type of new power of flight…She thought maybe Athena would help. Or Minerva, whatever the goddess was at the moment.

Annabeth's arm ached and she was strongly tempted to let go, but that was _not_ an option. She had made it this far, and she was simply going to let a bit of pain in her arm destroy her and Percy's life? And there was no way she would let Percy fall. There _had_ to be something.

"Annabeth," Percy muttered calmly. "Let me go."

The calmness of Percy's voice is what worried Annabeth the most. He sounded defeated and somehow peaceful, his voice echoing down into the dark place that he now accepted as his fate. He had given up.

"I'm not letting you go, Seaweed brain. I am _not_ letting you go. As long as we're together, it'll all be okay," she said in a strained voice. The pain and tears were building up.

_No, no, no. Calm down, Annabeth. Don't cry. I just need to find a way to do this. Gods. Mom, if you can hear me please, please help. Athena or Minerva…just…Please. _

"Let go, Annabeth!" Percy said firmly. "We're both going to fall if you don't let go!"

Then a voice surfaced in Annabeth's head:

_I understand you need my help. _It was Athena. Or maybe Minerva.

_Yes, yes, I need your help. Oh, gods. Thank you. Thank you._

_I cannot help you._

_What? What do you-?_

_The power of Tatarus is too strong. I can feel it's presence even now as I speak to you within your own confines. I can only offer you words of advice._

_Okay, what?!_

_Let the boy go._

"No!" Annabeth said aloud.

_You understand it is the most logical thing to do to ensure your own safety. You do know that it is the only way for you to live. Your fatal flaw is pride, not loyalty. Or perhaps you feel it your duty to save him. _

_I don't care about pride! That isn't why I want to save him!_

_Again, _the goddess sighed. _Another one of my children lost to unreasonable, illogical thoughts._

_And what is that?_

_Emotions and logic do not mix. _She stated and then she was gone from Annabeth's thoughts.

Annabeth looked at Percy. She knew, even if she didn't like to admit, letting him go was the only way to survive. Percy seemed to know what she was thinking and he released his fingers slowly only for them to be clung on to with Annabeth's nails.

"We're staying together," she promised. "You're not getting away from me. Never again."

Then Annabeth let go of her tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, she and Percy fell into the endless darkness.


	2. Percy's POV

Percy gripped Annabeth's hand, immediately thinking what he could do to save them. His mind raced a million miles, but all of his ideas were garbage. He hoped Annabeth would have conceived some brilliant idea, but she was as stumped as he was.

His hand ached as Annabeth's nails tore into his skin and her fierce grip stopped his blood from circulating, but he was alive. And maybe not for long…

He tried summoning water with no luck. He tried finding a ledge. Nothing worked and it was quite obvious that this was how Percy was going to go down. Loyalty.

Sure, it meant standing by others, but it also meant sacrifice. He was too loyal, too hopeless, too in love to hold on. He was a literal weight that Annabeth had to carry. Percy wasn't sure if he could have held on for so long, but knowing himself, he would have gladly jumped with her.

So, it was true. Loyalty would be his end. He had a wild thought that maybe when he let go, his loyalty would somehow transport him back up because he couldn't be without Annabeth.

He looked at her, with dirt and grime on her face and clothes, her hurt ankle, her grey eyes…. Percy analyzed every detail. Every curl of her hair, every wrinkle on her clothes, everything.

"Annabeth," he muttered calmly. "Let me go." He knew he'd have to pry his fingers loose anyways because Annabeth simply wasn't going to give up, but he had to give her more time to accept his fate.

"I'm not letting you go Seaweed brain. I am _not_ letting you go. As long as we're together it'll all be okay," she muttered frantically, almost in tears.

"Let go, Annabeth! We're both going to fall if you don't let go!" He hadn't meant to say it so harshly, but Annabeth had sounded so frantic and worried…Percy never wanted to hear her like that. Her voice was so scared and hysterical and frantic is had almost made Percy cry.

Then, after what seemed like an awfully long time, Annabeth just shouted "No!" like she had just registered what he said, or she was slipping, or-and Percy was sure- there was some godly presence in her mind that she was speaking to.

Annabeth's secret conversation seemed over and then she looked at Percy. He knew in that instant that she intended to jump with him. He tried removing his fingers, one at a time, but they were so numb and blood-deprived that he only managed a slow little movement after which Annabeth clutched him even harder and sunk her nails even deeper.

Percy couldn't help but feel a bit angry. He was trying to save her life here! He cared too much for her to do this. It would have been better for her to just let him fall. Then, he could die knowing that she was okay. That was all that mattered to him. But she wouldn't, and he couldn't convince her otherwise. He didn't understand how he could ever deserve Annabeth.

"We're staying together," she promised. "You're not getting away from me. Never again."

Then Annabeth let go of her tiny ledge, and together, holding hands, she and Percy fell into the endless darkness.


End file.
